George Selwyn : $b His letters and his lifeSelwyn, George Augustus
History
George Selwyn : $b His letters and his life
Selwyn, George Augustus
Selwyn, George Augustus, 1719-1791; Selwyn, George Augustus, 1719-1791 -- Correspondence
Pray tell Shepardson that I ask after her, and my compliments to Mr.
Willoughby, if you see him. I have demonstrated to Sir G. Metham
that I [am] originally a Yorkshire man, and that my name is
Salveyne; and he says that the best Yorkshire blood does at this
time run through my veins, and so I hope it will for some time
before the circulation of it is stopped.
(110) A distinguished soldier, afterwards Field-Marshal (1738-1803).
(111) Eldest daughter of the Earl of Carlisle; married, 1789, John
Campbell, who was created first Lord Cawdor; she died 1848.
(112) George, Lord Morpeth, afterwards sixth Earl of Carlisle
(1773-1848). In this correspondence Selwyn often refers to him as
George. Selwyn had a strong affection for him, and treated him with
sympathy and tact.
(113) Sir Brooke Boothby (1743-1824). One of the fashionable young
men of the period. He devoted himself particularly, however, to
literary society, and published verses, and political and classical
works. He lived for a time in France, and was a friend of Rousseau.
(114) Lady Holland died on July 24th.
(115) Stephen Fox, first Earl of Ilchester (1704-1776), the elder
brother of Henry, first Lord Holland.
The duties of a country gentleman and a Member of Parliament, the
boredom of a visit to a constituency could not always be avoided by
Selwyn. Thus the two following letters are written from
Gloucestershire.
(1774,) Aug. 9, Tuesday, Gloucester.--I set out from London on
Saturday last, as intended, and came to Matson the next day to
dinner. I found our learned Counsel in my garden; he dined with me,
and lay at my house, and the next morning he came with me in my
chaise to this place for the Assizes. I have seen little of him
since, being chiefly in the Grand Jury chamber, but I take it for
granted that till this morning that he set out for London his hands
were full of business, and the two men condemned were his clients,
who were condemned only par provision till he had drawn up the case.
This town has been very full of the neighbouring gentlemen, and I
suppose the approaching elections have been the cause of it. I am
not personally menaced with any opposition, but have a great dread
of one, because the contentions among those who live in the country
and have nothing else to do but to quarrel, are so great, that
without intending to hurt me, they will stir up trouble and
opposition, which will be both hazardous and expensive. I am
tormented to take a part in I know not what, and with I know not
whom, and my difficulty is to keep off the solicitation of my
friends, as they call themselves, who want a bustle, the expense of
which is not to be defrayed by themselves.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account